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The best vitamins and supplements for women

Karen Evennett
Article written by Karen Evennett

Date published 04 December 2023

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From compensating for iron loss from heavy periods, to helping with PMS, giving your baby the best start in life or dealing with the symptoms of menopause, women have specific health needs that supplements can help. Here are the best vitamins and supplements for women.

🕒 6 min read

Iron supplements and menstrual health

One in three women describe their periods as being heavy – meaning that they need to change a pad or tampon every one to two hours, or they have to use more than one product, such as a pad and tampon at once.

Other signs include blood loss lasting more than seven days, passing clots larger than the size of a 10p coin, and feeling tired and short of breath.

The risk is that heavy monthly blood loss can lead to iron-deficiency anaemia. Girls and women over the age of 11 need 14.8mg of iron daily. Although this should be easily achievable through diet, heavy periods are a common cause of anaemia. A blood test can confirm this or rule it out, and iron supplements such as IronCare can make up the deficit.

IronCare pack

IronCare

Stomach-friendly, vegan iron tablets for healthy blood, energy and immunity

  • 100% of the daily recommended amount of iron and copper, as well as vitamins B2, B6, B12 and C
  • Supports red blood cell formation
  • Combats tiredness and fatigue
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PMS

Mood swings leading up to your period are the classic sign of PMS – although there are actually over 150 named symptoms. Nine out of 10 women experience at least one of these at some point in their life, with women in their 30s most likely to experience the condition.

Agnus Castus Premenstrual Relief Tablets help to relieve PMS symptoms and also alleviate menstrual cramps, but be sure to discuss supplement usage with your GP if you are using the contraceptive pill.

Planning a pregnancy

A healthy body is essential when planning to get pregnant, and the Department of Health recommends that women take a 400µg folic acid supplement from at least one month before conception until the 12th week of pregnancy, to help prevent birth defects such as spina bifida. Our high-strength vegan Folic Acid tablets are ideal for this special time in your life.

Folic Acid pack

Folic Acid

400mcg folic acid, also known as folate or vitamin B9

  • Important for healthy red blood cell formation
  • Supports immune health and psychological function, helps reduce tiredness and fatigue
  • Recommended by the Department of Health during pregnancy
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Menopause supplements

Menopausal symptoms go way beyond the notorious hot flushes and night sweats, with dwindling oestrogen levels potentially affecting everything from mental health and energy levels to joints, skin, and hair. Supplements can make a huge difference, and careful selection will target specific symptoms.

Sage is traditionally used for night sweats and hot flushes, and pairs perfectly with Black Cohosh Menopause Relief, which also targets temporary mood changes such as nervous irritability and restlessness. Healthspan's MenoSerene with Soy, Isoflavones, Flaxseed & Sage combines essential micronutrients and natural plant oestrogens with a powerful multivitamin to support your general health at this time of life, while the Replenish range – including the Replenish Day-Night Skin Nutrition Supplement – helps to combat the effects of low oestrogen levels on dry menopausal skin.

If you're worried about your hair and nails, the Hair & Nail Strengthener supplement can help.

CBD Support Menopause will also support you through the menopause, with its combination of pure and distilled CBD oil and sage, soy isoflavones and vitamins A and B6. It has no psychoactive or addictive effects, and is completely legal and safe.

Menoserene pack

MenoSerene

Vitamins, minerals and plant oestrogens to support women through the menopause

  • Vitamin B6 to regulate hormonal activity, high dose of vitamin E
  • Calcium, magnesium and vitamin D for healthy bones
  • Phytoestrogens from soy and omega 3 from flax
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Stress

Whether due to PMS, menopause, or just a busy schedule, you may want to boost the health of your nervous system with relaxing magnesium supplements. Healthspan's Magnesium tablets contain added vitamin B complex and a natural hemp cannabidiol extract for additional support for your nervous system.

Other supplements to help with mental wellbeing include the adaptogenic herb Ayurvedic Ashwagandha (supporting emotional balance and energy levels), CBD Support Night Time (combining pure CBD oil with extracts of calming chamomile, lemon balm and hops), and High Strength Green Tea tablets. Green tea leaves are a source of theanine, an amino acid associated with calming the mind and keeping stress at bay.

Magnesium 375mg pack

Magnesium 375mg

100% recommended daily amount of magnesium per tablet

  • Reduces tiredness and fatigue
  • Contributes to muscle and psychological function
  • Helps maintain bones and teeth
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Senior Health

As we age, supplements to support our memory, heart, joints and bones come into their own.Vitamin D supplements are a basic essential – it's difficult to obtain enough of it from diet, and our limited exposure to sunshine (our main source of vitamin D) means the government's advice is that everyone should take a vitamin D supplement during autumn and winter.

Healthspan's Vitamin D3 50 Plus is a high-strength vitamin D supplement in a highly absorbable formulation that supports immune health along with stronger bones, teeth and muscles. Vitamin D can also help to keep depression at bay, and may additionally help to prevent Cognitive Impairment and Dementia.

Also worth considering for healthy memory are phospholipids – a class of lipids that form a vital part of human cell membranes – and especially phosphatidyl serine, which is mostly prominent in the membranes of brain cells and a key ingredient of our Memo Plus supplement.


Vitamin D3 50 Plus pack

Vitamin D3 50 Plus

50µg vitamin D3 in easy−swallow, highly absorbable capsules

  • Healthspan's strongest vitamin D
  • Supports bones, teeth, immunity and muscles
  • Highly absorbable formulation
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Stronger joints and bones

As a woman, you're at greater risk of the bone-thinning disease osteoporosis, once your protective oestrogen levels have declined. Calcium supplements, along with vitamin D, can help if you're not getting enough of the mineral from dietary sources such as nuts, tofu, sardines and dairy.

Due to a combination of factors triggered by the menopause, women are also twice as likely as men to have symptoms of osteoarthritis by the time they're 65 (although at younger ages, the risk is greater among men). This is when women may want to look to supplements such as Turmeric, Rose Hip and Collagen to ease painful inflammation and promote strength and mobility.

Super Strength Marine Collagen pack

Super Strength Marine Collagen Complex

Joint health supplement containing type II collagen

  • Joint health marine collagen complex with 1,000mg collagen
  • With type II collagen, the type found in the cartilage that helps cushion your joints
  • Helps to support your joints, bones, and connective tissue
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Love your heart

We women must also remember to love our hearts as we age – because an often forgotten fact is that women are twice as likely to die from a heart attack as they are from breast cancer, even though we tend not to think of heart disease as a woman's problem. Healthspan's MultiVitality 70 Plus is suitable for vegans and has been expertly formulated for over 70s to support heart, brain and bone health while also boosting immunity, and Love Your Heart has CoQ10, Omega 3 and a cardio complex of black garlic, l'arginine and B vitamins.

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Karen Evennett

About Karen Evennett

Karen is a freelance health journalist and author/editor of 14 health books. She is a member of the Medical Journalists' Association and her features have appeared in various publications including Woman's Own and the Guardian.

karenevennett.co.uk